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Fassel is the right choice for the Rams right now

It was a whirlwind opening 36 hours as an NFL head coach for John Fassel.

The phalanx of cameras in his opening news conference were “tripping” him out. The thought of walking his own sideline Thursday night in Seattle was “kind of crazy.”

He wasn’t quite sure where he should be, at times, during Tuesday’s practice at the Rams football headquarters at Cal Lutheran University.

“I kind of had to find my place where I was supposed to be,” Fassel said. “There’s no manual for it.”

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John Fassel gives some pointers to wide receiver Mike Thomas during practice Monday. Fassel will try to help the Rams finish a bad season in a positive manner as interim head coach for the final three games.(Photo: JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR)

But don’t confuse Fassel’s comfort level with his competency. The special teams coordinator is exactly the right choice to help the Rams complete their rocky season competitively.

“I don’t think the team needs to be saved,” Fassel said. “The team needs to just rise up and take some responsibility for what happened.”

Rams chief Kevin Demoff was asked Monday, a few hours after the team fired veteran head coach Jeff Fisher, why Rams fans should be “excited” about the decision to hand the team over to a special teams coordinator.

The final three games of a losing season aren’t about generating excitement. They are about laying a foundation for future success.

“I think Coach Fassel carries tremendous respect from our players, he carries tremendous respect from our coaches, he’ll bring tremendous energy,” Demoff said. “And this is about getting the most out of our group for the last few games.”

With the playoffs out of reach, the aspiration is to finish with the best record inside the NFC West for the second straight season.

“I think, more than anything, is his attitude and his approach to everything,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “He’s going to be really helpful. He understands what we’re going through right now is not easy and he understands that we do need some support. We do need him to be there for us during this time.”

The Rams finish the season with three games against NFC West opposition: Thursday’s trip to Seattle and home games against San Francisco and Arizona.

“The best coach I’ve ever been around just got the keys today,” punter Johnny Hekker tweeted on Monday.

The Rams had other options for the interim position. Assistant head coach Dave McGinnis was the head coach of the Cardinals from 2000 to 2003. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was head coach of the Bills from 2001 to 2003.

Demoff called the Fassel pick the “least interruptive” option.

“You’re not going to be able to install a new offense, whether it’s this week or in the last two weeks,” Demoff said. “Everybody on the offensive and defensive side can go game plan this week the same way they would. They all have the same responsibilities on game day that they had.”

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Interim head coachJohn Fassel talks with wide receiver Mike Thomas (13) and his teammates during Rams practice on Monday.(Photo: JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR)

Special teams coordinators are also one of the few coaches on the staff, outside of the head coach, who manage the entire roster.

“Coach Fassel is someone who’s stood up in front of the entire team,” Demoff said.

Fassel, the son of former Giants head coach Jim Fassel, asked for some familial advice Monday.

“He said, ‘Be yourself and go for it,’ ” Fassel said. “There really wasn’t a lot of discussion. He’s going to be at the game … which will be really exciting for me. I’ll rely on him a lot.”

Demoff would love Fassel to make his coaching search more complicated over the next three weeks.

“When I chatted with him earlier, I said, ‘Take these three games as, not only an audition for us, but for everybody else in the league and coach this team to the best of your ability,’ ” Demoff said. “And I think he’ll take that challenge to heart and he’ll get the best out of our players.”

Joe Curley covers the Rams for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at 805-437-0276 or jcurley@vcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @vcsjoecurley.